An Unusual Request *Update*
An Unusual Request *Update*
An Unusual Request *Update*#1
Posted: 6/7/12 at 9:31pm
Hello again,
I had posted in February inquiring about backstage passes to shows as a retirement gift from our community to one of my former teachers who started the drama program in our town.
I know it's been a while so here is the original message I had posted here:
https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1041872&boardname=
The support we received from this community and the Broadway world was incredible so I would just like to say thank you all. I also apologize for not responding to the pm's a few members on this board gave me. After the advice I received from the thread itself I got caught up in looking up names/organizing/writing letters and planning for the appreciation night we held in our community that I honestly just missed your pm's. I never knew about them until I logged on to write this update today. Sorry and I appreciate your replies and advice.
Okay now for the update:
A small group of former students and community members started planning a celebration night for Mr.B's last play in early February. It took many hours and a lot of coordination from many people, but the night turned out to be a huge success. We contacted all of his former drama students throughout his 29 years of teaching drama at Macklin School and a large number of them showed up to support Kevin in his retirement. I think he was really taken back by seeing his former students come from all over Canada to show their support for him and what he has accomplished with the drama program in our town.
All of his former students were invited to his last production and many showed up to watch the performance and even more showed up to celebrate his retirement after the play was finished. His last production was Seussical, the 52nd play he and his students have performed throughout the years, and like the many others before it Seuessical was a joy to watch. The play went great and the students involved said it was one of their favourites they've been a part of. After the performance the drama students pulled Kevin on stage and we began the celebration of his amazing career. The best part was he had no idea that any of this was coming. We were able to get word out to the community without Mr.B knowing anything about it so he was completely surprised by everything. One of his former students he taught over 30 years ago who is now part of our town council MCed the evening. We started by showing a video of his past performances which included the names of the plays and all of the former students Mr.B has taught in drama. There have been 52 plays performed throughout the years and over 400 students who have been a part these productions.
After the video we opened the mic to former students and read some letters from others who voiced their appreciation for all Kevin has done for them as a teacher and for the great experiences and memories being apart of drama has given them. We even had a pair of mother and daughter teams speak about drama and the influences it and Mr.B has had on their lives. One of the speakers even remembered some of her lines from one of the first plays that the drama program ever performed in Macklin. After these speeches we continued with the top ten reasons to take drama from Mr.B and got quite the reaction from both him and the audience. Once that was finished some former students jumped at the chance to perform again and re-sing some of their songs from the plays they were apart of. We had performances from students who were part of Beauty and the Beast, The Sound of Music, and Grease sing some of their favourite songs. It was really great to get the opportunity to perform for and entertain Mr.B because it's always been him behind stage entertaining all of us.
Our community then brought Mr.B and those who have been apart of drama on stage to present them with some awards and thank them personally for all they have done for drama in our town. After which Mr.B spoke about his time in drama, thanked the community for the night and gave his appreciation for everyone who has ever been apart of drama throughout the years. His speech was rather short as you could tell the surprise and overwhelming support from everyone was getting to him a little bit. After this we told him about our plan to send him to Broadway and he was pretty much speechless. All in all the night was a huge success and I think we were able to show Mr.B how much we appreciate him and all he has done for the drama program and performing arts in our town.
Through donations from former students and community members who have attended his plays throughout the years we were able to raise enough money to send him to Broadway with pretty much all of his individual expenses paid for. He will be flying out on the 16th of July and staying until the 21st.
Also, during my original post here I was also contacted by Doug Murphy and Ken Davenport, the producer of Godspell on Broadway, and they basically said name the date and time and we would love to make this happen. So we currently have one backstage tour from Godspell set up for him. I can't thank Doug and Ken enough for this opportunity. What you guys are doing for us and Mr.B is truly amazing. We really appreciate it.
We are in the process of sending more letters out and they should be in the mail by early next week. As some people advised in my earlier post here I didn't want to jump the gun sending out a bunch of letters without knowing the date we would be sending him or if we could raise enough money to even send him at all. Hopefully, within the upcoming weeks we will get more responses and make this trip one that Mr.B will truly remember for the rest of his life.
Again, I can't thank all of you enough for the advice and the support you have given to us and our dream of showing an amazing teacher how much we appreciate all he has done for our small town.
Updated On: 6/7/12 at 09:31 PM
An Unusual Request *Update*#2
Posted: 6/8/12 at 12:54amThanks for the update. Glad the event went so well and great that the trip is happening. Good luck with the backstage visits!
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